Asia's tallest man struggling to stand

Wang Fengjun of China hospitalised for hip replacement surgery after he found it hard to stand.

08 Jul 2013 09:27 GMT

According to local media, Wang's hands are 30 centimetres long and he wears specially made size-75 shoes [AFP]

Wang Fengjun, Asia's tallest man measuring 2.55 metres, has been admitted to a hospital in China.

Wang, 37, who is among the world's tallest living people has been hospitalised for a hip surgery, local media reported.

Wang developed gigantism due to a tumour on his pituitary gland. Four years ago he was diagnosed with avascular necrosis on his hip, a condition that occurs when bone tissue dies because of too little blood supply, and found it hard to stand.

Prolonged, repeated high pressure to his legs has been linked to this disease. He is offered free treatment by the hospital and will have a hip replacement.

Wang Fengjun has been measured as 29 centimetres taller than China's towering former NBA basketball player Yao Ming. His body began to dramatically change when he was 13, and from then on his height increased 10 cm every year until 2005, when he ceased to grow further.